What’s going on?
From 23 June, the NHS has begun a phased rollout of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for weight management – but only a small, strictly defined Cohort 1 is eligible. Media coverage has led to widespread public belief that it’s widely accessible, creating a spike in patient requests. This influx often lands on teams in practices that are just getting to grips with the criteria.
In the Accurx Total Triage WhatsApp Community, practice managers, GPs, and admin teams are sharing what they’re doing and how they’re responding to the wave of patient inbound.
What does this mean for practices?
Practices are seeing increases in patient contact from individuals who believe they qualify, based solely on headlines:
“Had a bunch of patients requesting it today… far more persistent now that it’s being publicised as readily available.”
Handling these requests takes time - and when patients are misinformed, staff and clinicians often have to spend effort undoing the confusion.
How many patients are actually eligible?
Practices in the Accurx community have been running searches on their patient lists using the NHS’s Cohort 1 eligibility criteria – which apply to a small group of patients with a BMI of 40+ (or 37.5+ for some ethnic groups) and at least four qualifying health conditions. This first cohort is expected to be the focus of the rollout until at least mid-2026, as part of a phased three-year plan.
Figures shared by practices in the community illustrate how small this initial cohort is:
Across the community, practices have reported an increase in patient queries around this – in some cases, over a dozen calls within two days. As one GP observed, “It’s not particularly helpful that it’s been headline news when it only affects such a tiny number of people.”
How are practices responding?
Community members have shared practical resources to reduce inbound volume and set correct expectations:
1. By sharing patient-facing videos
- One community member shared Dr Sophie Newton’s explainer video with their patients to pre-empt inbound queries.
Watch on Instagram - Dr Fari Ahmad, on BBC Breakfast, provided a clear overview of NHS rollout eligibility and what patients should expect.
Watch on YouTube
2. By triaging patients using a custom questionnaire
One of our community members, Dr Dave Triska, shared a custom questionnaire for Mounjaro requests – filtering requests based on eligibility criteria, reducing unnecessary GP appointments, and embedding directly into triage workflows.
View and import the questionnaire to your organisation here.
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3. By sharing information through multiple channels
Practice teams can share information about this across different communication channels:
- Customising the message on their Patient Triage form.
- Sending batch emails with links to a video
- Sharing announcements on practice websites and through social media posts
This proactive communication can help reduce incoming requests and offers patients clarity and reassurance.
What’s happening across ICBs?
Community members shared how Integrated Care Boards are taking different approaches to Mounjaro rollout:
“Our ICB have not allowed prescribing for now.”
“Our ICB asked us to run searches and let them know how many are eligible in each practice… so they can plan the wraparound care element.”
With ICB approaches varying and patients often acting on headlines, practices are left bridging the gap. It’s another reminder of how important it is to have adaptable systems that help manage unpredictable demand at the front door.
Manage demand more efficiently with Total Triage
Mounjaro is a clear case study in how quickly patient demand can spike. Through an Accurx Total Triage model, practices can
- Capture all incoming patient requests more efficiently into one place
- Respond appropriately to demand surges without defaulting to appointments
- Use questionnaires, two-way messaging, or update their Patient Triage form to inform and guide patients early
- Preserve GP capacity for clinical need
Looking ahead to 1 October
From 1 October, practices must ensure their online consultation systems are available throughout core hours for non-urgent requests. Many teams are understandably concerned about a potential increase in patient requests.
Now is the time to switch to a more efficient system, adopted by over 1,000 practices across the country. We’ll be sharing more around the GP contract obligations in the coming weeks, including the updates we’re bringing to make this easier for you – keep an eye out for webinars, tips and more in the Accurx GP community.
Want to explore how others are responding?
Speak to an Ambassador to hear how other practices have implemented a scalable Total Triage workflow – and how it can help your team feel more confident around patient access and demand.